A Pirate Christmas
by germanviola7
Summary: Based off A Pirate's Life For Me, but not necessary to understand this. Just a oneshot about the holidays. Post the original APLFM , pre the sequel. READ AND REVIEW!


**CHEERIO!**

**For the help of those who didn't read my main fic...**

**Tom- 17**

**Casey- 15**

**Willy- 14**

**Dieum- 8**

**Jack- 3**

**You can probably guess who their parents are!**

**Read on!**

* * *

The docks were crowded to capacity. It was tradition for many families to wait for trees from the colonies around this time of year. Out just past the horizon was the ship most have come to know.

"I want to go home and go back to sleep," Dieum whined. He was seated upon his father's shoulders and wasn't thrilled to be here.

"I'm with Dieum," Casey yawned this was torture. Who cared about stupid family traditions, no normal family wakes up at three-thirty in the morning to go wait for a tree that dies in a week?

"Why didn't Jack have to come," Dieum complained.

"Because when you were his age you weren't here either," Will replied. Dieum sighed, he could never win an argument with his father.

"Dieum, do you ever stop talking," Tom asked, it was too early to complain. The first thing Casey was doing when they got home was go right back to sleep. After waiting another hour the tree was safely on its way home, followed by the two lagging members of the group who were one step above sleepwalking. It was about seven o'clock and the town began to wake up. Many other families were carrying trees native to nowhere near her to their homes and street vendors began to put out wreathes. It was too early to function, way to early. Casey couldn't be happier to see the frame of the large white house come into view, Dieum shared her enthusiasm, which in their state was none. Willy pitifully attempted unlock the door, while Tom tried to keep the tree from rolling away.

"Someone's outside," Jack exclaimed to his mother as he climbed down from the chair he was seated on in the kitchen, he then ran to the front door. Pressing his face against the glass he was able to see his father trying to show Willy how to open the door, Casey looking very impatient along with Dieum, and Tom holding a large tree.

"They're back," he called back. Elizabeth opened the door to see her son stare in shock as the key in his hand left with the door as it swung open. Her husband had an exasperated look upon his face, her oldest son struggled to hold on to a tree and the last two, Casey and Dieum, stood eyelids drooping looking not at all thrilled to be awake.

"I opened it," Willy said with glee, his mother smiled at him and everyone along with the tree entered the house. If Casey wasn't so tired she would have had something to say about Willy's key incident, but whatever it would have been, would have been incoherent. Branches and needles flew everywhere as Tom pulled the tree inside.

"You all had a good time this morning right," Will asked once the door was closed again. Tom nodded, Willy stared straightforward in confusion and Casey and Dieum had nothing to say. The tree made its way to the parlor, but not before it managed to hit a candlestick holder. It came down with ease, and no one noticed because they were busy with the tree. Turning around, Jack saw the metal object on the floor. He ran back picked it up and examined it. Reaching up with all his might, Jack deposited it in the nearby umbrella holder and ran into the parlor. The tree looked amazing where it was, and after argument over where it should be placed, Tom could once again feel his hands.

"Where are Casey and Dieum," Willy asked, "They said they'd help with the tree."

"They said they'd be right back," Will stated, "Where could they have gone?" Tom left and checked the living room, sure enough, asleep on the couch was his brother and sister.

"Found them," he announced, "And they're asleep." Thus marking the official start to the holiday season.

**Later that week…**

Of course it was awkward to walk through town dressed as a boy, but it was definitely more comfortable! Casey had successfully taken an outfit from Willy and made her hair match her attire. It was still strange to answer to, "Good morning son," but it was getting there. She happened to be taking care of something for her mother. It was Christmas Eve, and home was a war zone, no one bothered Elizabeth when she cooked, and just so coincidentally Tom, Willy, Dieum, and Jack volunteered to go with their father to work today. Casey unfortunately was left to stay at home and help cook. Just a few moments ago she was asked to retrieve her brothers, as they were probably driving their father crazy right now. Someone interrupted her thoughts as she took the back way to her father's shop. Whoever it was got elbowed in the face, in the gut and then put into a headlock.

"Merry Christmas to you too," John mumbled to his assailant. Casey released him and looked at his face, his nose was bleeding a bit and he had a bruise near his left eye.

"I'm sorry," she replied handing him a handkerchief.

"I had something for you but now—," he began getting up and going to walk away.

"Wait," she cried grabbing John by the arm and spinning him until they were face to face.

"Pushy aren't we today," John said with a grin.

"I'll elbow you again," she threatened jokingly.

"Very well," he sighed taking something from the bag he was holding.

"Close your eyes." Casey obeyed and he then told her to open them. Looking awkwardly at John, she noted he was holding nothing.

"Is this a joke—," she was cut off as John put his arms around her and did something shocking, he kissed her. After a moment it was over, too soon for Casey, and she realized what John had. It was a piece of mistletoe.

"Thank you," she whispered as he handed it to her, "Twice for good luck," Casey added holding the small leaf above the two again.

"Out of here you two heathens," a woman shrieked as she threw a bucket of water at the two boys in front of her home, "I'll have none of that here." John grabbed Casey's hand and the two ran back onto the main street.

"Where are you off to," John asked as the two walked along the street.

"To my father's shop," Casey answered, "And you?"

"The same."

"Have the boys been annoying today," she inquired as they reached the small warehouse.

"Wait and see." John opened the door and a small dark haired boy greeted them by hitting them both square in the knees with a broom.

"Avast," Dieum exclaimed, "It's only John and Casey."

"Hello to you too," Casey grumbled as she went inside. Dieum had a bucket on his head and clutched a broom.

"Enter," he proclaimed.

"I can't find my other shoe," Willy shout from somewhere.

"Weeeee," Jack screeched from sitting on the donkey. All alone by the back door was Tom and Will, neither of whom looked happy.

"Oh god," Casey stated, it was officially no longer a smithy, it was a zoo!

"I've come," she began carefully stepping over a group of wooden buckets, "To take this out of control children home."

"Thank god," Tom exclaimed springing up from his seat.

"I'd sadly have to agree," Will added.

"It's no better back home though," Casey said.

"It'll get no better later," Tom answered.

"Mum wanted to know if you got anything done today," Casey asked her father. Will contemplated this statement, and his facial expression changed.

"No," he replied, "Does it look like I could accomplish anything?"

At that moment a crash was heard and Dieum exclaimed, "Gotcha!" Looking around, the four saw Willy suspended by his ankle from the rafters.

"I've found my shoe," Willy exclaimed as he hung upside down. It took twenty minutes to get Willy back down, and twenty minutes after that the five were on their way back home.

"You four are going to be in for it when dad gets home," Casey announced as they opened the gate to their home.

"Please don't tell on us," Dieum pleaded standing in front of his sister.

"Depends on what mood I'm in later," she replied reaching for the doorknob, but then an idea filled her head.

"Stay here." She opened the door and stepped inside. The last thing Casey wanted was the boys messing up the hours of cleaning she just did. Carefully taking her shoes off, Casey made her way to the kitchen.

"Hello," she stated. Apparently, Casey startled her mother and she looked up abruptly at her son.

"You boys are back early," Elizabeth said.

"It's Casey," Casey clarified taking her hat off.

"Cassidy Anne, what did I tell you about wearing—," her mother scolded.

"I know, but I wanted to, I promise to dress nicely tonight," she promised, "I have the boys outside on the porch, can I take them to the beach, if they mess up my cleaning I won't' be very happy."

"Sure, go ahead," her mother replied, "Make sure they don't come back filthy." Casey nodded, some quiet time will definitely be nice. She told her plan to her brothers as they left the house.

"And we are going to sit by the beach, no one goes in the water, no one runs around, no one gets dirty," she warned. The boys nodded, but sure enough as soon as they reached the beach, the youngest ran into the lapping surf.

"Great," she mumbled as she took a seat next to her other brothers. Twenty minutes later, Dieum and Jack came back and sat down with the others. Casey's mouth fell open, the were soaked, missing their shoes and covered from head to toe in sand and mud.

"When we get home you two are telling mom why you're both completely filthy," she exclaimed.

"You can't tell us what to do," Jack snapped.

"Yes I can, just wait until I also tell about what happened back at the smithy," Casey replied.

"You can't prove any of it, father wouldn't tell on us," Dieum defended.

"I have two witnesses," their sister spat, "Let's go get you cretins home." With scowls upon their faces, Dieum and Jack marched home behind their older siblings.

When Tom knocked on the door, the two younger went to run, but were stopped, "No, you two get to stand in the front," Casey said smoothly. Elizabeth opened the door to see her two youngest sons, covered in mud.

"What happened," she asked. Five different explanations were shout as each tried to voice what happened.

"One at a time," she yelled, "Jack what happened?"

"Dieum pushed me," he exclaimed.

"Did not," Dieum shout.

"It's all Dieum's fault," Jack whined.

"Is not," Dieum defended.

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too." Dieum, who was taller than his younger brother stood glaring daggers at Jack.

"Might you three be able to shed some light upon the situation," Elizabeth asked the older.

"We got to the beach and they ran off," Casey announced, "And just wait to ask father how they behaved when they were with him."

"Dieum James and Jack Matthew, go wash off immediately and sit in your rooms," Elizabeth ordered. The two glared at their sister, pulled off their muddy shoes and a track of muddy footprints led up the stairs.

**Later that night…**

Dieum sat on his bed and tried to pull off his tie and he watched Jack put something decent on as well.

"Why is this the first time we're going somewhere for Christmas," he asked his mother.

"We were invited somewhere by an old friend in town," Elizabeth replied. Tugging on his tie Dieum finally gave up, he hated dressing up, after last time they had company and he took off his tie, he was now doomed to have his father tie it, and it was a knot only another sailor could undo. A few doors down Casey looked at herself in her mirror. Wearing a dress was the last thing she ever liked to do, but it was Christmas, she could deal with it for one night. Her hair was a totally different animal, how ever she wanted it to go, it went the opposite. Whatever, she didn't need to completely impress whoever they were going to see tonight anyway. Much later, after a long dinner with the people down the street, Casey lay in her bed trying to go to sleep. Just before she did, there was a knock on her door.

"What," she asked thinking it was one of her brothers.

"I have something for you," her father said. This woke Casey up, she smiled and put her hands our for what she was to accept. He handed her a long box, a typical box for what she hoped was inside. Opening it she shrieked in glee, put it down and hugged her father. Having parents with a pirate side could be pretty good around the holidays.


End file.
